Power unit for motor vehicles



May 13, 1941.

C. R. SMALLEY POWER-UNIT FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed June 18, 1940 nventor I (lttorneg.

Patented May 13, 1941 'UNi-TED STATES PATENT I 2,242,046 v POWER UNIT FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Charles R. Smalley, Youngstown, Ohio Application June is; 1940, Serial No. 341,156

Claims. (Cl. 180-70) This invention relates to a power unit.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a power unit which includes motor, transmission, differential and clutches and which is adapted to be installed between two oppositely disposed road wheels of a motor vehicle and when properly connected to them will drive them at various controlled speeds with a minimumof gearing, shafting, vibration and power loss.

A further object of the invention is the-pro vision of a power unit so formed that motor vibrations arising therefrom will be distributed lengthwise in relation to the motor vehicle in' which the power unit is installed or in vertical relation thereto thus making the vibrations much less noticeable. I v 1 With the foregoing and otherobiects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the. combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can

be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanylng drawing, wherein the figure is a cross sectional side elevation of the power unit.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that the power unit comprises a casing ill in which there is positioned by means of suitable bearin'gs H a crank shaft l2, the crank portion l3 of which is formed in operative relation to an inner end of a cylinder H which is adapted to receive a conventional piston and connecting rod so that the crank shaft i2 within the said cylinder l4. Positioned within the casing in and on the same plane or in parallel relationship to the crank shaft I! there is a tubular dlil'erential case l5 in which there are- "positioned axles l6 and ISA. It will also be seen j that a tubular cam shaft I! is rotatably positioned around the tubular differential case I! adjacent the crank ll of the crank shaft-l2 and that a pair of valve actuating'cams I l are formed dn'thls tubular camshaft 180 apart. Positioned onthls tubular cam shaft and forming a. part thereof there is a flywheel carrying a portion of a clutch 20 which is adapted to engage a-portion 2| of a clutch which is itself splined to a main driving sleeve 22 rotatably mounted on the tubular differential case l5. Means enabling the remote control through suitable levers of the clutch portion 2! are provided in the form of may be revolved by combustion shaft II, it Will therefore the an annular ring shaped groove 23 so that the clutch assembly may be operated from a re,- motely positioned pedal. In connection with the timing cams i 8 formed on the tubular cam be seen that; the same receives movementv from the crank shaft I2 by way of gears 24 and 25 formed upon the crank shaft and flywheel, i2 and i9 respectively, and are timing gears of the motor. It will thus be seen that while in a conventional motor the timing gears have a two to one ratio and one set of cams to properly time the motor, this motor unit.has timing gears of four to oneratio and twosets of cams in order to properly'time the motor. It will thus be seen that the revolving movement of the crank shaft i2 is conveyed through the timing gears 24 and 25 to the tubular cam shaft i1 and effectively move the cams Hi. It will be observed that the cam action may be directly imparted by push rods to the valves of the' cylinder l4 and that, if necessary with various types of cylinder assemblies, rocker arms may be employed to operate the valves of the motor. In order that movement of the crank shaft It may be imparted to the tubular differential case l5 through several se- 1 iective gear ratios a plurality of gears are positioned on both the crank shaft l2 and the tubular differential case i5 so that by utilizing certain predetermined selections thereof various desirable gear ratios may be obtained and the movement of the crank shaft i2 and the flywheel l9 may be imparted by the clutch portions 20 and 2! and subsequently to the axles l6 and ISA therein, These various gears comprise a main driving sleeve 22 rotatably positioned on the tubular diilerential case 55 and a gear 26 and a sprocket 21, the gear'26 being splined to the rotatable main driving sleeve 22 and the sprocket 21 being formed on the sleeve 22. The gear 26 is positioned so as to mesh with a low speed idler gear 28 rotatably positioned on a spur gear sleeve 28 which is rotatably positioned upon the crank shaft i2. Jaw clutches I30 splined to the spur gear sleeve 29 serve toconnect or disconnect the same with the low speed idler gear 28 so that motion originating in the crank shaft I5 is conveyed through the flywheel and clutch assemblies and through the main driving sleeve 22 and gears 26 and 28 to the spur gear sleeve 29. In order that the motion thus imparted to this spur gear sleeve 29 may reach the tubular differential case and move axles i6 and ISA therein by way of a suitable differential, as shown, the spur gear sleeve 29 is provided with a gear 3! adapted to mesh with I low gear ratio its minimum number 2 a drive gear 32 differential case and 32 when utilized the engagement of the imparted the axles l8 and ISA. A high gear ratio is obtained by simply moving the gear 26 which is. splined to the main driving sleeve 22 into the Jaw clutch engagementwith the sides of the drive gear 32. This results in the direct' connection of the main driving sleeve 22 which is axes to the tubular with the tubular differential case [5 and motion to the axles l8 and ISA -It will thus be the outermost is thus directly imparted in a four to onehigh gear ratio. ,seen that by placing wheels on fiends of the axles l6 and "5A that, motion imparted to the crank shaft l2 by one or more internal combustion cylinder assemblies in connection therewith will, suitably drive the said wheels in conventional high gear.

In order that a reverse gearingmay be obtained the sprocket 21 fixed on the main. driving sleeve 22 is connected by a chain 33 to a, reverse. idler sprocket; 34 rotatably positioned on the spur gear .sleeve 29 and the motion of the reverse idler sprocket 34 may be imparted by means of a Jaw clutch 35 'splined on :a tubular spacer portion 35 vill'iichv is-in turn splined .to the spur gear sleeve 9. 'Thusthe motionof the main driving sleeve i'isconveyed by way of thefixed gear 21, the

chain-33, the idler sprocket 34, the clutch as,

ind th'espacer portion BS toithe spurgear sleeve 29 front;- which the reverse motion is conveyed It. The ratioof the gears 3| in the manner described by jaw clutches 30 results in a throughthe gears 3i and 32 to the tubular differential case. I

.It will thus be seen that by combining various the moving parts of. the unit and in the simplicity of design and directness of aotionresuiting therefrom. There is also an obvious saving in manufacturing cost as well as in material and in weight when comparing this unit with others knownto the art; The efilcie'ncy of the complete unit with of moving parts results in a to the ultimate user. Priprincipal point of novelty savings in operation marily however, the

.. is the compactness of the entire power unit as it may quite readily be formed with an over-all length of axles of approximately twelve inches thus permitting it to be installed midway between a pair of. road wheels and suitably connected thereto through suitable yielding linkage.

What I claim is: r

1. A power unit including an internal combustion engine, clutch, difierential, and transmission means adapted to be positioned between a pair of oppositely disposed road wheels of a motor vehicle so as to suitably drive the same and comprising a crank shaft and an axle positioned in a housing in spaced and parallel relationship,

v said difierential case and a tubular cam shaft rotatably positioned around flywheel and a valve timing gear said tubular cam shaft, a pinformed on the said tubular cam the said axle, a formed on the rality of cams driving sleeve and shaft, clutch means positioned on the said sywheel adiacent to engaging clutch means slidably positioned on a main driving sleeve rotatably'positioned on the said axle, a spur gearsleeve ro-- I I tatably positioned on the said crank shaft together with a plurality of gears positioned on each of the said sleeves whereby suitable gear ratios maybe obtainedand applied to the said: I

axle by means of a gear positioned thereon and mailed with a ear to the said flywheel and through the said'clutch to the said main driving main driving sleeve through semblies to the said axle.

2.'A power unit sionjmean's adapted vehicle so was suitably drive the same and comprising a crank shaftand a pair of axles positioned in a housing in spaced and parallel reiationship, said axles driven through. differential gears and enclosed in a tubular differential case positioned in the said housing, a tubular cam shaft rotatably positioned around the said differential case. a ilwheel and a 'valve timing gear formed on the said tubular cam shaft, a plurality of cams formed on the said tubular cam shaft, clutch means positioned on jacent to engaging tioned on the said crank shaft together with a plurality of gears p0- sitioned on each of the said sleeves whereby suitbe ,obtained and applied to the said tubular differential case bymeans of 'a gear positioned thereon and meshed with a-g'ear fixed on the said spurgear sleeve, motion of the crank shaft being imparted to the said flywheel and through the sleeve through the selective gear assemblies to the said tubular differential case and axles therein.

3. A power unit including an internal c0mbus- 1 tion engine, clutch, differential, and transmission means adapted to be positionedbetween a pair of Y oppositely disposed road wheels of a motor vehiole so as to suitably drive the same and comprising a crank shaft and a flywheel having clutch means around a tubular with a gear formed on the said crank shaft, 8. main driving sleeve rotatably positioned on the clutch means splined thereto adapted to engage the clutch -means formed on the said flywheel so that motion of the v said crank shaft is conveyed through the said flywheel and clutches to the said main driving sleeve, a spur gear sleeve rotatably positioned on s the said crank shaft together with a plurality of gears positioned on each of the said sleeves whereby suitable gear ratios may be obtained and applied to the said tubular differential case by' means of a gear positioned thereon and meshed with a gear fixed on the said spur gear sleeve, motion of the crank shaft being imparted to the said flywheel and through the said clutch,

to the said main driving sleeve and from the said main driving sleeve through the selective gear assemblies to the said tubular difierential case and axles therein. a

4. A power unit comprising an internal coinflxed on the said spur gear sleeve, motion of the crank shaft being imparted sleeve and from the said 1 I the selective gear asincluding an internal combustion engine, clutch, differential, andtransmisv to be positioned between a pair of oppositely disposed road wheels of a motor the said flywheel ad-= clutch means slidably positioned on a main driving sleeverotatably posi tubular differential case, a spur gear sleeve rotatably positioned on the said 1 said clutch to the said main from the said main driving formed thereon rotatably positioned differential case and meshed bastion ensine and diiferentialend selective sear transmission means adapted to be positioned between 9. pair of oppositely disposed road wheels of a motor vehicle so as to suitably drive the same and include a crank shaft and a pair of axles psitioned in spaced and parallel relationship the said axles enclosed in a tubular difierential case,

a tubular cam shaft having a flywheel formed thereto through differential gears, a hollow cam thereon rotatably positioned around said tubular diii'erential case and adjacent the said crank shalt and adapted to be driven thereby, a main driving sleeve rotatably positioned on the said tubular differential case and clutch means formed on the said flywheel and main driving sleeve so that motion or the flywheel may be imparted to the driving sleeve therethrough, a spurgear sleeve rotatabiy positioned on the said crank shaft, a sprocket formed on the said main driving sleeve adapted to be connected to a. secondary sprocket formed on the said spur gear sleeve by means of a driving chain. means for connecting the said secondary sprocket to the said spuri gear sleeve, said means comprising a spacer sleeve splined to the said spur ear sleeve and adapted to be jaw clutched to the said secondary sprocket, drive gear means formed on the said tubular diil'erential case and on the said spur gear sleeve so that motion imparted to the said spur gear sleeve is conveyed to the said tubular diflerential' case, a gear splined to the said main driving sleeve and meshed with a low speed idler gear rotatably positioned on the said spur gear sleeve, Jaw clutches formed on the said spur gear sleeve adapted to engage the said low speed idler gear so that motion of the said main driving sleeve may be conveyed thereby to the said spur gear sleeve together with law clutches splined to" the said main driving sleeve adapted to engage the said drive gear afllxed to the said tubular diiierential case so that motion of the sleeve may be imparted directly to ential case.

5. Apower unit comprising an internal combustion engine and selective gear transmission the said differmain driving shaft, a portion of flywheel may be drive shaft with a housing and adapted to be positioned between a pair of oppositely disposed road wheels of a motor vehicle and comprising a drive shaft and a driven shaft in spaced and parallel relationship, said drive shaft having a crank formed therein to receive power impulses so as to revolve the drive shaft, the driven shaft enclosed in a tubular diiferentiai case and connected shaftpositioned around the said tubular diflerential case, cams formed thereon adapted to operate the valves of the said engine, a flywheel I and part oi a clutching assembly formed as a part of the cam shaft rotatably positioned on the said difierential case and a main. driving sleeve adjacent the said flywheel portion of the cam the clutch splingd to the said main driving sleeve so that motion of the imported thcrethrough, said flywheel meshed with a gear formed on the said adjacent the crank thereof. a sprocket fixed to the said driving sleeve anda gear splined to the main drivingsleeve, both gear and sprocket adapted to impart motion to an idler and clutch and diii'erential means incorporated sear and reverse idler sprocket rotatably positioned on a spur gear sleeve on the said drive shaft. the sprocket imparting motion by way of a chain engaging the saidareverse idler sprocket and the gear meshed with the said idler gear. jaw clutches splined to the said so that either the gear or the sprocket may be connected thereto and drive gears formed on the diiferential case spur Gear sleeve diiferential case splined to the main spur gear sleeve and the tubular so that motion imparted to the may be conveyed to the tubular together with law clutches driving sleeve adapted to CHARLES R- BMALLEY.

spur gear sleeve- 

